The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-02
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Synopsis of Land Commissioner
Sparks Annual Report.

Synopsis of Land Commissioner
Sparks Annual Report.
Land Commissioner Sparks in his annual
report, just issued, shows that since March 4,
1855, 81, ,S24, ,4S1 acres have been restored to
the public domain. The sales, entries, and
Selections of public land under the various
acts of Congress relating thereto, for the fis-
cal year ended June 30, 1887, embrace 25, ILL.,
400 acres, and of Indian lands 1861 acres,
making total Of 25,S5S,O3S acres, being an
increase over the year 1886 of 3, 733, ,474 acres,
and an increase Of 4, ,S62, ,524 acres as compared
with 1885.
The receipts from the disposals of public
lands are $40, ,7S3, 1921, from sales of Indian
lands, 81, ,4S4 302-a total of 81, PCS, 224 being
an increase as compared with the year 1856
of S32I7, ,727, and an increase of So, GAS, CPS as
compared with the fiscal year 1855; to which
is to be added sS,291 received on account of
timber depredations, and Sl2, 493 received for
certified copies of records furnished by the
General Land Office, making the total receipts
for the year from all sources Sl2, ,2S9 ,OOS.
With respect to the surveys Of public lands,
he says that charges of fraud are made in all
the public land States and Territories, and
that an appropriation to cover the exanlina-
ton of such surveys and for necessary resur-
veys is q matter Of the highest public import
ance. A large proportion of the Surveyors
General recommend that rates for survey be
increased, so that competent surveyors may
be able to perform their work without cali
ing on settlers for assistance.
On the subject of the forfeiture of railroad
land grants the Commissioner quotes from his
last annual report, and adds:
81 renew the recommendation that for
feiture be declared in all cases in which the
roads were not completed within the time
and in the manner conditioned in the respec-
tive grants"
Offraudulent land entries the Commissioner
says that the Investigations Of the past year
have been entirely satisfactory, and that
as result, 2,3l2 entries, covering about
$4,000 acres, were held for cancella-
10000 acres, were cancelled for fraud.
This subject the Commissioner pur-
sues at some length. He says: "Such
a record of crime as that shown by
investigation made by special agents during
the last two years is rarely to be found.
Bold reckless, and gigantic schemes to rob
the Government of its lands have been dis.
covered and exposed in every State and and
Territory containing public lands, and think
I can truthfully say in every land district and
county which q special agent has visited.
Systematic efforts to mislead and corrupt
entrymen, in order that they might
become instruments in defraudingthe Govern
ment, have been resorted to. Men of intelli-
gence and high standing in the COM
munity, in many instances million
! aires were the leaders in these unlawful trans
actions. Over five thousand cases have
been discovered wherein perjury or subordin-
alton of perjury was committed. In ma
iority of cases the officers before whom the
proofs or other papers were executed, largely
State and Territorial officers not directly re-
sponsb!e to tho Land Department, were
cognizant of the fraud, or could have become
,, so by ordinary diligence
One Thousand and eleven cases of timber
depredations or timber trespaSS have bcen
reported OH during the year. involving
value in timber and product tharcfrom
amounting tn So, l t6, 6,Tj5-recorerable to the
Unitel Stats The amount actually re-
covered during the year through judgments,
fines, ETC., is Sl2S,G42. Tho wholesale
destruction of pubic timber on old numbered
sections of public lands, says the Commits
sioner, within the granted limits of uncon-
structad railroads continues to an alarming
extent.
On the subject of ''reform in the public
land laws" the Commissioner says:
"All efforts to secure a reform in the land
laws by repeal or amendmentSsof particular
acts and provisions have failed through the
posed legislation. I am satisfied that amend
ments in detail are impracticabe. The time
for tinkering has passed. Existing systems
of disposal, fundamentally defective in the
original instance, have become wholly un-
suited to present conditions What is needed,
in my opinion. is an entire reformation of e1-
isting laws, retaining an absolute home. home
stead law and ohsoleting all other
forms of disposal of agricultural
lands Actual residence, Improvement, and
cultivation for the homestead period Of five
years should be the exclusive condition of ac-
quring title to such lands 1t would also ap-
pear that the time has arrived when the
privilege of appropriating public lands should
be confined to citizens of the United States.
The mineral laws should be so amended as to
preserve the public right of mineral explor-
alton to citizens of the United States and to
prevent monopoly of native mineral wealth
by individuals and corporations"